diff --git a/src/wscript b/src/wscript
index afc1e12f6..19e71f02a 100644
--- a/src/wscript
+++ b/src/wscript
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ def create_ns3_module(bld, name, dependencies=(), test=False):
         pcfile = bld.new_task_gen('ns3pcfile')
         pcfile.module = module
 
+    # Initially create an empty value for this because the pcfile
+    # writing task assumes every module has a uselib attribute.
+    module.uselib = ''
+
     module.is_ns3_module = True
     module.name = 'ns3-' + name
     # Add the proper path to the module's name.
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index e36e20acb..4ffe9632d 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -44,6 +44,38 @@ def get_list_from_file(file_path, list_name):
     return list
 
 
+def get_bool_from_file(file_path, bool_name, value_if_missing):
+    '''Looks for a Python boolean variable called bool_name in the
+    file specified by file_path and returns its value.
+
+    If the file or boolean variable aren't found, this function will
+    return value_if_missing.
+
+    '''
+
+    # Read in the file if it exists.
+    if os.path.exists(file_path):
+        file_in = open(file_path, "r")
+
+        # Look for the boolean variable.
+        bool_found = False
+        for line in file_in:
+            if bool_name in line:
+                # Evaluate the variable's line once it is found.  Make
+                # the split function only split it once.
+                bool = eval(line.split('=', 1)[1].strip())
+                bool_found = True
+                break
+
+        # Close the file
+        file_in.close()
+
+    if bool_found:
+        return bool
+    else:
+        return value_if_missing
+
+
 def read_config_file():
     '''Reads the NS-3 configuration file and returns a list of enabled modules.
 
@@ -53,20 +85,38 @@ def read_config_file():
 
     '''
 
+    # By default, all modules will be enabled, examples will be enabled,
+    # and tests will be disabled.
+    modules_enabled  = ['all_modules']
+    examples_enabled = True
+    tests_enabled    = False
+
     # See if the ns3 configuration file exists in the current working
     # directory and then look for it in the ~ directory.
+    config_file_exists = False
     dot_ns3rc_name = '.ns3rc'
     dot_ns3rc_path = dot_ns3rc_name
     if not os.path.exists(dot_ns3rc_path):
         dot_ns3rc_path = os.path.expanduser('~/') + dot_ns3rc_name
         if not os.path.exists(dot_ns3rc_path):
-            # Enable all modules if the .ns3rc file can't be found.
-            return ['all_modules']
+            # Return all of the default values if the .ns3rc file can't be found.
+            return (config_file_exists, modules_enabled, examples_enabled, tests_enabled)
 
-    # Read in the ns3 configuration file.
+    config_file_exists = True
+
+    # Read in the enabled modules.
     modules_enabled = get_list_from_file(dot_ns3rc_path, 'modules_enabled')
     if not modules_enabled:
         # Enable all modules if the modules_enabled line can't be found.
-        return ['all_modules']
+        modules_enabled = ['all_modules']
+
+    # Read in whether examples should be enabled or not.
+    value_if_missing = True
+    examples_enabled = get_bool_from_file(dot_ns3rc_path, 'examples_enabled', value_if_missing)
+
+    # Read in whether tests should be enabled or not.
+    value_if_missing = False
+    tests_enabled = get_bool_from_file(dot_ns3rc_path, 'tests_enabled', value_if_missing)
+
+    return (config_file_exists, modules_enabled, examples_enabled, tests_enabled)
 
-    return modules_enabled
diff --git a/utils/.ns3rc b/utils/.ns3rc
index 68647fca5..8d88d94fb 100644
--- a/utils/.ns3rc
+++ b/utils/.ns3rc
@@ -5,3 +5,9 @@
 #
 # All modules can be enabled by choosing 'all_modules'.
 modules_enabled = ['all_modules']
+
+# Set this equal to true if you want examples to be run.
+examples_enabled = True
+
+# Set this equal to true if you want tests to be run.
+tests_enabled = False
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index ce3f33e15..fe33c46c3 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -30,11 +30,15 @@ import Scripting
 
 from utils import read_config_file
 
-# By default, all modules will be enabled.
-modules_enabled = ['all_modules']
+# By default, all modules will be enabled, examples will be enabled,
+# and tests will be disabled.
+modules_enabled  = ['all_modules']
+examples_enabled = True
+tests_enabled    = False
 
-# Get the list of enabled modules out of the NS-3 configuration file.
-modules_enabled = read_config_file()
+# Get the information out of the NS-3 configuration file.
+config_file_exists = False
+(config_file_exists, modules_enabled, examples_enabled, tests_enabled) = read_config_file()
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('waf-tools'))
 try:
@@ -163,14 +167,16 @@ def set_options(opt):
                    default=False)
     opt.add_option('--disable-tests',
                    help=('Do not build the ns-3 tests.'),
-                   dest='enable_tests', action='store_false')
+                   dest='disable_tests', action='store_true',
+                   default=False)
     opt.add_option('--enable-examples',
                    help=('Build the ns-3 examples and samples.'),
                    dest='enable_examples', action='store_true',
-                   default=True)
+                   default=False)
     opt.add_option('--disable-examples',
                    help=('Do not build the ns-3 examples and samples.'),
-                   dest='enable_examples', action='store_false')
+                   dest='disable_examples', action='store_true',
+                   default=False)
     opt.add_option('--check',
                    help=('DEPRECATED (run ./test.py)'),
                    default=False, dest='check', action="store_true")
@@ -321,21 +327,45 @@ def configure(conf):
 
     conf.report_optional_feature("ENABLE_SUDO", "Use sudo to set suid bit", env['ENABLE_SUDO'], why_not_sudo)
 
+    # Decide if tests will be built or not.
     if Options.options.enable_tests:
+        # Tests were explicitly enabled. 
         env['ENABLE_TESTS'] = True
         why_not_tests = "option --enable-tests selected"
-    else:
+    elif Options.options.disable_tests:
+        # Tests were explicitly disabled. 
         env['ENABLE_TESTS'] = False
-        why_not_tests = "defaults to disabled"
+        why_not_tests = "option --disable-tests selected"
+    else:
+        # Enable tests based on the ns3 configuration file.
+        env['ENABLE_TESTS'] = tests_enabled
+        if config_file_exists:
+            why_not_tests = "based on configuration file"
+        elif tests_enabled:
+            why_not_tests = "defaults to enabled"
+        else:
+            why_not_tests = "defaults to disabled"
 
     conf.report_optional_feature("ENABLE_TESTS", "Build tests", env['ENABLE_TESTS'], why_not_tests)
 
+    # Decide if examples will be built or not.
     if Options.options.enable_examples:
+        # Examples were explicitly enabled. 
         env['ENABLE_EXAMPLES'] = True
-        why_not_examples = "defaults to enabled"
-    else:
+        why_not_examples = "option --enable-examples selected"
+    elif Options.options.disable_examples:
+        # Examples were explicitly disabled. 
         env['ENABLE_EXAMPLES'] = False
         why_not_examples = "option --disable-examples selected"
+    else:
+        # Enable examples based on the ns3 configuration file.
+        env['ENABLE_EXAMPLES'] = examples_enabled
+        if config_file_exists:
+            why_not_examples = "based on configuration file"
+        elif examples_enabled:
+            why_not_examples = "defaults to enabled"
+        else:
+            why_not_examples = "defaults to disabled"
 
     env['EXAMPLE_DIRECTORIES'] = []
     for dir in os.listdir('examples'):